MLB Investigating a PED Pipeline in Florida

The Sun-Sentinel is reporting that MLB believes that there is a South Florida PED-pipeline that is purportedly linked to a number of recent failed drug tests. Information regarding A-rod was passed to the DEA by MLB, according to the article, though nothing was confirmed by his lawyer. The article goes on to say that Bartolo Colon, Melky Cabrera, Yasmani Grandal, and Ryan Braun all have ties to the area and are also connected to PED's. There is a relationship between players--not necessarily those I listed above--and Anthony Bosch, who is the son of Dr. Pedro Bosch, who was connected to Manny Ramirez.

Take, for instance, one patient list from Bosch's 2009 personal notebook. It charts more than 50 clients and notes whether they received their drugs by delivery or in the office, how much they paid, and what they were taking.

That's not the only damning evidence against A-Rod, though. Another document from the files, a loose sheet with a header from the 19th Annual World Congress on Anti-Aging and Aesthetic Medicine, lays out a full regimen under the name Cacique: "Test. cream... troches prior to workout... and GHRP... IGF-1... pink cream."

IGF-1 is a banned substance in baseball that stimulates insulin production and muscle growth. Elsewhere in his notebook, Bosch spells out that his "troches," a type of drug lozenge, include 15 percent testosterone; pink cream, he writes, is a complex formula that also includes testosterone. GHRP is a substance that releases growth hormones.

There's more evidence. On a 2009 client list, near A-Rod's name, is that of Yuri Sucart, who paid Bosch $500 for a weeklong supply of HGH. Sucart is famous to anyone who has followed baseball's steroid scandal. Soon after A-Rod's admission, the slugger admitted that Sucart — his cousin and close friend — was the mule who provided the superstar his drugs. In 2009, the same year this notebook was written, Sucart (who lives in South Miami and didn't respond to a message left at his home) was banned from all Yankees facilities.

The mentions of Rodriguez begin in 2009 and continue all the way through last season. Take a page in another notebook, which is labeled "2012" and looks to have been written last spring. Under the heading "A-Rod/Cacique," Bosch writes, "He is paid through April 30th. He will owe May 1 $4,000... I need to see him between April 13-19, deliver troches, pink cream, and... May meds. Has three weeks of Sub-Q (as of April)."

This is surprising nobody. The players will, SHOCK, look for an edge when tens of millions of dollars are involved. I, for one, AM OUTRAGED.

I kid, I kid. I couldn't care less. Carry on players, all good. I hope none of them get caught and I want all of them playing like Superman. We can build them, we have the technology.

It adds some interesting context to the concussion and CTE issue in the NFL. In the NFL players are willing too accept the risks of head injury because of the salary they receive, and head injuries are an unintended consequence of the game. Meanwhile, and I know this happens in every league, here is a documented instance of players intentionally taking banned substances without fully knowing the long-term risks involved to get an edge.

Gammons has to write something negative about him right? This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the admission that A-Rod made to Gammons was a completely lie. Not that Gammons should pull a Rick Reilly regarding Lance, but he deserves and should take a shot at A-Rod somehow.

His voice shaking at times, Alex Rodriguez met head-on allegations that he tested positive for steroids six years ago, telling ESPN on Monday that he did take performance-enhancing drugs while playing for the Texas Rangers during a three-year period beginning in 2001.

Rodriguez, who joined the Yankees for the 2004 season after a trade from Texas, said his years as a Yankee "have been clean."

"I've played the best baseball of my career since," he said. "I've won two MVPs since and I've never felt better in my career. Of that I'm very proud of."

He added: "I was stupid for three years. I was very, very stupid" and, later said: "The more honest we can all be, the quicker we can get baseball [back] to where it needs to be."

By that logic, once a guy gets a lifetime contract they should just stop working out too right? For athletes who have been at the highest level in their sport since they were in high school, its tough to turn the competitive urges off. Also, some of them are just crazy. Look are Roger, while he won his case he was risking being found guilty of perjury so he could try to save a reputation that was permanently tarnished?

Gammons has to write something negative about him right? This proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the admission that A-Rod made to Gammons was a completely lie. Not that Gammons should pull a Rick Reilly regarding Lance, but he deserves and should take a shot at A-Rod somehow.

By that logic, once a guy gets a lifetime contract they should just stop working out too right?

No, but by that logic once a guy gets a lifetime contract he should just stop doing stupid illegal things that put his career at stake and potentially open him up to criminal investigation and/or law suits.

No, but by that logic once a guy gets a lifetime contract he should just stop doing stupid illegal things that put his career at stake and potentially open him up to criminal investigation and/or law suits.

They need the stuff just to get on the field for the season.(or in Arod's case, half the season)

No, but by that logic once a guy gets a lifetime contract he should just stop doing stupid illegal things that put his career at stake and potentially open him up to criminal investigation and/or law suits.

Exactly. Let's assume that he was still using in 2009 and beyond. Considering that he got exposed for his 2001-2003 usage, what made him think that he would fall through the cracks later on? He was already tainted and his reputation was in the shitter. The best thing he could do is stay clean and avoid any further nonsense.

Come on, these are superstar professional athletes we're talking about. The only collectives on the planet with as large or larger a set of egos are the elites of the film and pop music worlds. For guys like A-Rod with a killer deal already in place it has very little to do with competitiveness. It has everything to do with vanity and recognition, and being too stupid, ignorant and self-absorbed to place things in proper perspective.

He added: "I was stupid for three years. I was very, very stupid" and, later said: "The more honest we can all be, the quicker we can get baseball [back] to where it needs to be."

This guy is almost as bad as Lance was. A pathalogical liar who is still using PED's while telling everyone else to be honest about it? I have a feeling the media are going to absolutely kill him for this for lying to them.

This is actually pretty stellar investigative journalism, first by the NY Daily News last week, and then today from the Miami New Times, which I never had heard of before. It's a weekly. Link below.

None of us believed A-Rod in 2009. Not just fans. Players and opponents, too. In Francona's book, it is briefly mentioned that Jeter would always nod in Francona's direction on his first trip to the plate and Tito would acknowledge him. When insecure A-Rod tried to do the same thing, Tito would ignore him, or shuffle through his computer print-outs. I think that says everything about A-Rod.

I doubt that contract has the language in it to do that. Throw in the fact that he hasn't failed a league sanctioned test, and there would seem to be zero chance of that happening.

This is very important. The Players Union would never allow something like this to happen due to allegations. If he ever fails a test (and they are going to start blood tests now) then maybe, just maybe the Yankees have at least a shot of voiding the contract.

So what's the reasoning for ignoring the request of the article authors for a comment, then denying everything after it's hit the front pages of every website under the sun? Wouldn't you look a little less guilty (assuming you're going to fight the claims, which he is) contesting the story upfront?

Between injuries, roids, and general hatred of his lying ass, might he have stepped his last onto the ever green diamond? Would anyone noticed if he didn't?

New York Yankees All-Star third baseman Alex Rodriguez could be suspended by Major League Baseball in light of a story from Miami New Timesthat details performance-enhancing drugs he received and used from a South Florida clinic, a person familiar with MLB's drug policy told USA TODAY Sports.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

The New Times investigation into Biogenesis and its chief Anthony Bosch cites interviews with six customers and two former employees as well as patient files and other documents.

So what's the reasoning for ignoring the request of the article authors for a comment, then denying everything after it's hit the front pages of every website under the sun? Wouldn't you look a little less guilty (assuming you're going to fight the claims, which he is) contesting the story upfront?

Between injuries, roids, and general hatred of his lying ass, might he have stepped his last onto the ever green diamond? Would anyone noticed if he didn't?

If you are referring to A-Rod, I had the same thought--what if this marks the end of his run? Given his injuries, the lack of enthusiasm from the Yanks, and his declining skills, this might be a killer for his career.

So according to A-Rod, this doctor made all these handwritten lists up for purely...shits and giggles.... and it just happens that other clients of this doctor were suspended recently by MLB for the exact substances that the patient lists indicate??

The Yankees can't void his deal. The MLBPA has a CBA, and according to the CBA a player can only have his deal 'voided' if he fails three drug tests, because then he is banned for life. A-Rod has failed zero. MLB may be able to prove he took steroids, but I think the most they would be able to do is give him a 50 game suspension. If the Yankees tried to void his deal they would not only lose, but they'd alienate A-Rod even further than they did last October. Trying to void his deal doesn't make sense for the team.

The Yankees can't void his deal. The MLBPA has a CBA, and according to the CBA a player can only have his deal 'voided' if he fails three drug tests, because then he is banned for life. A-Rod has failed zero. MLB may be able to prove he took steroids, but I think the most they would be able to do is give him a 50 game suspension. If the Yankees tried to void his deal they would not only lose, but they'd alienate A-Rod even further than they did last October. Trying to void his deal doesn't make sense for the team.

Another scenario is A-Rod recovers slowly and misses the entire 2013 season. Yankees collect the insurance money to cover his $28M salary. A-Rod, ever insecure, realizes his credibility is forever damaged after MLB investigation concludes he was obtaining illegal shit from Dr. Bosch. So he and the Yankees get together to negotiate a settlement on the remaining $86M left on his contract. A-Rod then retires, and the Yankees continue to take a hit through 2017 for his salary. They do save $30M on his failed HR milestone incentives.

Bottom line, A-Rod likely has played his last game for Yankees, as Buster Olney speculated earlier today. Youkilis is their new third baseman, teaming with Jeter for the worst fielding left side of the infield in MLB.

What's the basis for suspending him if he didn't fail a test? Somehow I don't think that the MLBPA will shrug their shoulders and ignore it.

We have found are answer

Baseball can suspend Rodriguez or any of the other players without a positive test. In what is known as a non-analytic positive, they will need documentary evidence -- a sworn affidavit from Bosch, or a prescription from a doctor for a banned substance -- that would convince an independent arbitrator.

I'm at work but I know one of you will know this off the top of your head but didn't Manny technically not fail a PED test ? The actual first banning was based on the prescription he handed in for Clomid or something similar and negated the need for further investigation ? I think he had a high test ratio which started the whole thing rolling but the preliminary investigation led to the discovery of the paperwork for the fertility meds and thus his first suspension

It's not that I think poorly of these guys for cheating. I don't. I feel sad for them. They are taking substances that are not good for them in the long term for a (albeit large) possible short-to-medium term gain.

My, what I think anyway, compassionate approach goes completely out the window for A-Rod. I should need to repent for feeling such overwhelming joy over this.

It would be awesome if, at one point, the game turns back to being completely clean and it's like the deadball era.

I know it's a joke so yeah, I'm taking it too seriously. I think that we would return to something either like the 1950s era where you had a similar game plan as today of walk a bunch and hit for power or (and this would be the best case scenario) something like the 1920s and 1930s with tons of balls in play and high batting averages with some power. Pitchers are doping too and it is adding MPH to the fastball. Ks have gone up astronomically in this time period as well. I would be all for less power hitting and power pitching, and more balls in play. Perhaps you would have enough team speed to have more of the running game as well, especially with the HR dropping in frequency.

A suspension for Arod works out quite well for the Yankees. Not sure they wanted to pay him for coming back this year, and the insurance company presumably picks up most of what he is owed for being on the DL unless they use this as an excuse not to pay out..

Another scenario is A-Rod recovers slowly and misses the entire 2013 season. Yankees collect the insurance money to cover his $28M salary.

I can imagine an insurance company turning down the claim. I don't know how they are written, but if they can make even a tenuous claim that his negligence in using PED's, they fight to not pay out $28 million.

Not sure Arod gets around the evidence. They verified the info by calling people in the lists and had had inside sources.

But seems none of the employees had ever seen Arod at the clinic. The only evidence seems to be his name written down in a notebook. Unless the Doc swears an affidavit, there really is no solid evidence.